UH Manoa Names Cooperative Education Student and Supervisor of the Year

HONOLULU — Ronald Nakagawa, an architect with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Brooke Bingaman, a meteorology major at UH Mānoa, were recognized at the 11th annual Co-op (Cooperative Education) Supervisor and Student of the Year appreciation and awards reception.

The annual award event recognizes an outstanding Co-op student employee and a Co-op supervisor for their contributions in the business community and their commitment to the program at UH Mānoa.

Nakagawa was nominated for 2004 Co-op Supervisor of the Year by Jeannelle Wong, an architecture student in the Co-op program. Wong says, "Ron has made every effort to make me feel as though I am part of the team by giving me an integral role in projects he feels will allow me to grow as a designer. "He has never overlooked me when it comes to handing out responsibility, and has shown me he has confidence that I can complete the job, however long it takes."

Bingaman was nominated for the 2004 Co-op Student of the Year by Andy Nash, her supervisor at the National Weather Service. "The projects that Brooke has worked on in the office will ultimately have a large impact to the people of Hawaiʻi," said Nash. "Her most recent project will allow our forecasters to precisely predict the chance of rainfall for all locations across the state." Bingaman was awarded the National Weather Service Special Act Service Award for her project on ʻRainfall Climatology‘ and other projects she worked on at the National Weather Service.

Bingaman received a plaque and a two-hundred fifty dollar scholarship from the Student Employment and Cooperative Education Office. In addition to the scholarship, she will represent the university in the National Cooperative Education Internship Association Student Employee of the Year competition in April 2005.

Cooperative Education is a unique form of education which integrates classroom study with paid, planned and supervised work. It allows students to acquire essential practical skills by being exposed to the world of work beyond the boundaries of the campus, enhancing their confidence and career direction. Today, there are more than 600 colleges and universities in the U.S. with cooperative education programs.